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HOW DOES THE EUROPEAN UNION HELP THE OTHERS CONTINENTS ?

 


To answer to this question, we 've chosen two examples of the European Red Cross in two different continents.
The first is the German Red Cross in Africa, the second one is the French Red Cross in Iran. We are going to see how the Red Cross helps in these two places.
We've decided to work on Africa because we 've made comparisons yet and we find interessant to continue on the same subject and to work on Asia because the seism in Iran is up to date.


The foundation of the Red Cross (1862-1863)


On his return to Geneva, Henry Dunant wrote "A Memory of Solferino", in which he proposed that the States should "formulate some international principle, sanctioned by a convention, inviolate in character, which, once approved and ratified, might serve as the basis for societies for the relief of the wounded". General Dufour, the jurist Moynier, Dunant and two doctors Appia and Maunoir established the International Committee for the relief to the wounded soldiers and drew up the First Geneva Convention.

The seven Fundamental Principles

Proclaimed in Vienna in 1965, the seven Fundamental Principles bond together the National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, The International Committee of the Red Cross and the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. They guarantee the continuity of the Red Cross Red Crescent Movement and its humanitarian work.

Humanity Impartiality

Neutrality Independence

Voluntary service Unity

- Universality

 


The German red cross in Africa


1. " Help in Africa " - German Red Cross' campain for a continent which need a big assistance.

From the 27th of september to the 5th of october 2003 the German Red Cross organise a few days to react to the situation of Africa. The campain " help in Africa " hopes helping Africa a lot. The German Red Cross will show its projects for helping Africa and it asks for donations.

 


2. The Red Cross in Africa

The German Red Cross is in charge of 42 projects in 26 African States this year : Algeria, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, and so on. Help projects take charge of each countries' specifics problems.
The German Red Cross wants to cooperate a lot with the others societies of Red Cross. They ensure the operations functions correctly. In the conflict countries of Africa the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) coordinates the assistance with the principes of humanitarian international law.

 

3. What does the German red cross do in Africa ?

Many inhabitants of the African continent suffer from natural disasters, hunger emergencies, poverty, unemployment, civil wars. There are now 40 million humans who are threatened undernourishment in Africa.
In 2001, 186 million African were underfed. In the same year 2 million humans died of AIDS, in 2002 there were approximately 2,4 million of death. Humans need assistance in order to improve to surviving and the living conditions.

The Red Cross carries extensive emergency aid out with earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, droughts epidemic diseases… Assistance are important on a long term on the spot for self-help in the ranges :
- health
- water and hygiene
- training
- creation of bases of life
- infrastructures

Health and medicine are very important into the German Red Cross:
- development of hospitals
- health stations and Orthopedy centers
- supply of medicines and medical material
- training of maintenance personnel and midwives
- mother- child- supply
- AIDS clearing-up and preventing
- campaigns against genital mutilating by women
The German Red Cross is very present in Africa. It is very organized.

4. Concrete assistance by donations

Assistance does not have much to cost and can to much bring.

- 6,50 euro costs the seeds for beans and maniok, with that a needy woman in the Congo around his family permits to live.

- With 15 euro in the month receipt an underfed child sufficient food to have over again to standard weight.

- 20 euro costs the medical south African ill around an AIDS maintains for.

- 125 euro can the German Red Cross a mine victim with a prosthesis help.

The French Red Cross in IRAN


The assessment of the violent one seism, which hit the town of BAM is very heavy. The old city was destroyed with more than 60% and numbers it victims is extremely high. 41.000 died, 30.000 wounded, plus 75.000 families without isolated shelter and 1850 children. In all the disaster affected more than 200.000 people. The survivors are very demanding today. All is to be rebuilt. The population is extremely weakened, economically but also psychologically. The programs defined by the French Red Cross will be carried out with the support of the Iranian Red-Cressent.


1.Fight against the epidemics

The network of supply water and drainage worn was almost entirely destroyed by the seism. The mission carried out by the Team consisted, during the emergency phase to install in several points of the city of the cisterns making it possible to the population to have access to a water of quality. In the second time, the program envisages to set up latrines and the medical ones including/understanding showers and wash-hand basins whose management will be completely taken of load by the recipients. A shutter of education to the rules of hygiene is also envisaged in order to limit the risks of propagation of the diseases. The Spanish and Swedish Red Cross will deal with the aspect drainage worn. The channels must be cleaned to be again functional.

2.Support the resumption of the economic and social activities .

The economic activity was reduced to nothing by the seism. 60% of the old city were destroyed, 45% of the population were decimated . Tourism and the culture of dates, headlight activities, today are very slowed down. The program which the Red Cross will carry out will allow rescapés to find a gainful activity and will develop employment. Initially, an economic investigation must make it possible to count the population and its know-how in order to identify the local arts and crafts. The Red Cross will select a certain number of activities and will provide to the population the tools and the means necessary to the resumption of these trades. It will ensure of it as the follow-up in order to check as the projects develop in accordance with what will have been planned.


3.Reinforce the capacities of the Iranian Red-Crescent in management of the disasters.

This program includes two aspects, on the one hand the perennisation and the appropriation by the IRC of the equipment installed by the ERU (water and cleansing of the French Red Cross) and on the other hand the reinforcement of the capacities of the IRC in management of the disasters. This second part is articulated around two axes, the formation with the catastrophes of the members of the IRC, centered on the aspects "rescue and clearing" and "help in urban environment" and the reinforcement of the equipment of the IRC in rising and detection equipment in particular.

 

4.Rebuild the centers of health destroyed by the seism.

Centers of health, as well as the hospitals were completely destroyed by the seism. The assumption of responsibility of the patients is carried out today in the hospitals of countryside set up by the international helps. Set up to avoid the urgency, the hospitals are blocked. It is necessary to position back an effective system of health, being also based on centers of health.

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